Arvin Tolentino, Calvin Oftana downplay potential BPC award win

With both their teams in the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals, NorthPort's Arvin Tolentino and TNT's Calvin Oftana both have strong chances for a possible Best Player of the Conference plum.

By the end of the elimination round, Tolentino placed second at the MVP race with 39.9 SPs, while Oftana was fourth with 32.7 SPs.

San Miguel's June Mar Fajardo finished first with 42.0 SPs, while NLEX's Robert Bolick had 37.1 SPs. Converge's Jordan Heading completed the top five.

"I guess, it's a big reward, big bonus for me if I ever win that," Tolentino said on Thursday after the Batang Pier's quarterfinals victory against Magnolia.

"But I'm really focused on winning more or getting to the finals. Parang I'm looking at that, hindi ko na iniisip. Magandang recognition for me, pero deserve din ng teammates ko, if I can share it with them, if I win that. Everyone in my team deserves that."

[I guess it's a big reward, big bonus for me if I ever win that. But I'm really focused on winning more or getting to the finals. I'm looking at that, but I'm not thinking about it. It's good recognition for me, but my teammates deserve it also if I can share it with them if I win that. Everyone in my team deserves that.]

Oftana, meanwhile, would rather focus on giving his veteran teammates like Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams another run to a title.

"Blessed lang pero 'di naman 'yun ang misyon ko. My mission is to make our own legacy sa TNT lalo pa nandyan sina Kuya Jayson, Kuya Kelly," Oftana said on Thursday after their quarterfinals win against Hong Kong Eastern.

[I'm just blessed but that's not my mission. My mission is to make our own legacy at TNT especially because Kuya Jayson and Kuya Kelly are here.]

On top of that, a good friend of Oftana is also in the list, which he thinks deserves the award more than him.

"HIndi ko masabi, ayoko pangunahan mga bagay na ganyan. We have Arvin Tolentino, I think he deserves it more than me. Binuhat niya team niya," added Oftana.

[I can't say, I don't want to get ahead of things like that. We have Arvin Tolentino. I think he deserves it more than me. He has been carrying his team.]

The PBA will have a break to give way to the February window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. The league will return to action on February 26 to start the semifinals series between NorthPort against Barangay Ginebra and TNT versus Rain or Shine.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News